The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 27, 2003
Filed:
Jun. 13, 2001
Steven W. Wentworth, Brookfield, WI (US);
Robert F. Crane, Oconomowoc, WI (US);
Paul W. Hau, Watertown, WI (US);
Earth Tool Company, L.L.C., Oconomowoc, WI (US);
Abstract
A pipe bursting system of the invention operates by compaction rather than by reaming. The system includes a conventional directional boring machine, a drill string, and a pipe burster attached to the terminal end of the drill string. A pipe burster according to the invention includes a frame having a front connecting portion configured for connection to a drill string that can pull and rotate the frame about an axis of rotation, at least two axles mounted on the frame, and rollers mounted on each axle. Each roller has a curved outer surface forwardly inclined towards the axis of rotation of the frame, whereby rotation of the frame about its axis of rotation results in rotation of the rollers when the curved outer surfaces of the rollers engage a cylindrical inner surface of a pipe being burst.